Pa. Lawmakers Make Case For Keeping 911th Base

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Four western Pennsylvania congressmen and both U.S. Senators have met with Air Force officials to argue against plans to close the 911th Airlift Wing near Pittsburgh.

U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, a Republican from Upper St. Clair, says congressional approval is needed to close the base because it has more than 300 civilian employees. The Air Force has said the base has just 283 such employees, but has agreed to review its records and meet again with the lawmakers again next week in Washington, D.C.

Murphy says the base also has 1,300 reservists, far more than the 1,000 he says are needed to require congressional approval to close it.

The lawmakers and local officials say the base which houses transport and refueling planes pumps about $114 million into the Pittsburgh region’s economy each year.